Where Are You Going?

This feature is so simple, it’s almost mind numbing.  As an occasional bit on the show, dedicate a break to going around the cast, asking each member for the most interesting place they’re going that day.  Might be the dentist, or to their kid’s school to meet with a teacher, or to a lawyer’s office to sign papers to buy a house.  There are stories in each and set you up the next day to hear how things went.  If the place you’re going (and the reason you’re headed there) are interesting and told well, you have character development.  You can easily include listeners in this, too, to get to know them!

Presidents or Beers

Eddie & JoboWith last week’s President’s Day holiday, Eddie and JoBo, KHITS, Chicago, decided to see how many presidents an average kid could name.  You always need a conflicting category to make something like this funny to express your point.  That’s where beer comes in!  See how many presidents this kid can name, and then how many beer brands come to mind!

The Middle Name Game

With Monday of this week being President’s Day, an easy game to play is “The Middle Name Game”.  For some strange reason, we know the middle name of almost every president who’s been.  Sometimes in PPM, easy wins because listeners can follow along, especially if the design of the game is vicarious.  Offer up the president (“Richard Nixon”) and the listener has to tell you their middle name “(“Milhous”).  Three of five right and you win.  Doesn’t need to be any harder than that!

Jobo and His Wife

Eddie & JoboOne very efficient way to do character development is to put a relative on your show.  Recently, Jobo, from Eddie & Jobo, KHITS, Chicago, gave his mom a car for Christmas.  He was beside himself when one of his brothers drove the car (against orders!) and smoked in it.  Jobo wasn’t too pleased.  Being too emotional about it, Jobo asked his partner, Eddie (who knows his mom very well), to call her to get things right.  What you have here is a break, grounded in real life, that’s quite fun to listen in on.

The Last Meal Game

Keep an eye out for when there’s an execution in the country to play “The Last Meal Game”. Listeners have to guess what the convict’s last meal was.  First to guess it wins.  Edgy, yea. But definitely memorable!

WBMX Karson’s Grandmother

Karson & KennedyNothing humanizes a radio talent more than when you put a fun relative on the show.  It’s terrific character development as the talent shifts from being an entertainer to someone’s kid, spouse, or parent.  In these segments from WBMX, Boston’s Karson and Kennedy, Karson’s 93-year old grandmother calls the show to see if Karson knows that that town’s famed Fenway Park is turning 100 years old.  Real life is funny…and these two segments with his grandma are.

Who’d It Happen To?

Here’s an easy Monday morning character development bit.  Each member of the show notes to the producer the most interesting thing that happened to them over the weekend.  The producer reduces the story to once sentence and throws them out, one at a time, to listeners on the phone.  The listener must guess who that interesting thing happened to.  Then the cast member tells the story.